The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-02
THE TWEED RING.
Mr. Louis j. Jennings Tells His Experience
in Breaking 1t Up.

sIr. Louis j. Jennings Tells His Experience
In Breaking 1t Up.
Interview in London World
Before had been at work very long. in New
York" says Mr.. Jennings, lit struck me as
curious thing that none of the CITY accounts
them to be issued quarterly and annually, but
not sign of them could l find anywhere The
taxation of the city amounted to over $40 900 900
year, and in the couse OF few years debt
had been run up of over 500. 900. There
never was city so badly liehyed and paved.
All the duties of city government We're neglect
ed What, then. became of all the money! 1
set myself to work to find out. The city gov
eminent was entirely in the hands of Boss
Tweed and his merry men. They had yachts
and hne carriages. and fast trotters and wore
diamonds in their shirt-fronts almost as large as
saucers. few years previously most of them
police, the sheriffs, the whole control of
the city was in their hands One
day I managed to find out that a
sum of $780, 900 had been charged for carpets in
a building known the court house. went
over the court house and had a look round.
There were carpets there-only a little mat
ting. which might have been bought for $780,
Little by little got at the Of the city ac
count books. But had nothing which could be
produced in the shape Of legal proof. The bold
course was the only one to take. astonished
the city one morning by coming out with Al ar
ticle entitled Two Thieves denounced Tweed
and his confederates as public robbers. They
abused me to their hearts content in their news
papers; every crime had ever heard Of was laid
my door. was arrested two or three times a
day as the fight grew brisk; bat the magistrate,
albeit in the ring, never refusd bail; and there
were gentlemen of the city who stood ready
day and night to give bail for me to the extent
of $5.o00.000, had much been wanted.
/ was waited for as l went home at or 3 in
the morning, but somehow my kind friends
always missed me- All kinds Of inducements
were offered me to shut up and go away. One
night man came suddenly into my room at the
office, shut the door quickly, and announced
that he intended to cut the heart out of me.
AS YOU see, am here-therefore, it stands to
reason that be did not dols. 1t is needless for
me to dwell on little incidents of that kind.
There was weli-known man who once held an
official position in the Tammany organization,
but had been unfairly pushed out of It, He had
a friend in the comptroers Office, where all the
city books were Kept. One night he came into
my room, took his hat off. and remarked that it
was very hot. Very l said. You have had a
hard fight said he encouraeinely. Have still.
| think -eplied |, as / got up to look out of the
window The truth was that felt unusually
discouraged that night; there seemed
end to the long road | was
on. ] said you have had it, said my
acquaintance quietly pulling out roll of papers
from his pocket Here are ,he proofs he went
on, of all the charges you have made-exact
transcripts from the comptroller's books. The
money stolen is over $50 000 Don't let the
boys know YOU have got these papers. They
would murder you in a twinkling if they as
much as suspected it, l held out nav hand for
the inestimable roll. off home with it. ami
sat up all night disentancng the figures. and
puzzling out the whole story The proof was
ample, but it took me some days to bring it in TO
a shape which would make its due impression
on the public mind The figures had been
copied surreptltiously at different times. and
were all in chaos Hundreds Of thousands of
dollars were charged to various persons, who.
soon found, had no existence A plasterer had
been paid some thing like 81 500 600 for plaster
ing one building Furnishing that building had
cost ST, 500 000 although there were only few
stools and desks in the place. / need not tell
you the details suffice If to say that got the
corrupt judges impeached and removed from the
bench: the Boss and his accornpces became
fngitives; the entire ring was shattered to frag-
ments